UChicago students are well aware of the controversy surrounding the Obama Presidential Center and the coalition of organizations fighting for a Community Benefits Agreement on behalf of its neighbors in Woodlawn to accompany the new development. (See our recent podcast interview with Valeria Alejandra Stutz, AB 2018, whose thesis explored aspects of this conflict.) For many Chicagoans, this very public, multi-year struggle has come to exemplify broader questions related to housing affordability and the challenges of executing neighborhood (re)development in a way that is truly community-driven.
On Friday, 10/23, Chicago Studies had a conversation with Angela Hurlock of Claretian Associates and Felicia Dawson of POAH (Preservation of Affordable Housing) who both work toward affordable housing and holistic community health in Chicago's South Side. The collaboration of these two organizations on the design and renovation of the former South Chicago YMCA just one mile south of the OPC site showcases the possibility of a very different—if less headline-grabbing—approach to neighborhood development and renewal. Learn about the challenges they face in working toward affordable housing, and what an approach to development that is grounded in residents' needs and community-identified goals can look like.
Session recorded live on Friday, 10/23, 12:30-1:30 PM CDT. View the film on YouTube, above or at this URL.
After listening, we hope you'll:
- Learn more about POAH and the Claretian Associates and their missions
- Consider the arguments for and against the Obama Presidential Center as it stands
- Watch our conversation with Media Burn Archive to learn more about how community activists spread their message